The Otago Chess Club Rapid Championship was recently decided in the second of two double-round-robin legs. Top seed John Sutherland was in the box seat after the first leg, half a point ahead of the writer. However in the second leg, third seed Hamish Gold scored a notable upset victory over Sutherland and drew their other game. This allowed the writer to catch up with Sutherland to share the 2008 Senior Rapid Championship with a total of 8 points from 12 games. The unluckiest player was Gold, who was on level scoring in his games against the two winners, but because of a loss against Chris Lydiate in the first leg, only finished third, a point behind. Patrick Dawson won the Intermediate trophy on the strength of his 5 points out of 6 in the first leg, while Elliot Munro's combined total of 10 points from 12 games easily won the Junior trophy.
Today's game is Gold's typically enterprising win over Sutherland, Gold playing with the white pieces.
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d6 3. Nbd2 Nbd7 4. e4 e5 5. Bc4 Be7?
In a slightly unorthodox opening both payers miss an interesting tactical opportunity for White here. 6 Bxf7+! Kxf7 7 Ng5+ Kg8 8 Ne6 Qe8 9 Nxc7 either winning the exchange or a rook and many pawns for two pieces. 6. O-O? O-O 7. c3 h6 8. Nh4!? ---
White hatches a plan to immediately exploit the weakness of the g6 square created by Black's last move, with a risky pawn sacrifice for the initiative. 8. --- Nxe4?!
A better way of taking the pawn was 8 ... Nb6 9 Bb3 exd4 10 cxd4 Nxe4. Now White keeps his pawn. 9. Ng6 Nxd2 10. Bxd2 Nb6 11. Bb3 Re8 12. dxe5 d5
Closing the bishop's diagonal and threatening to capture on g6. Now 13 Nxe7+ is fine for White, but true to his aggressive instincts, Gold chooses to sacrifice the knight and play for a sharp attack based on penetrating to h7 with his queen. Although objectively the sacrifice is probably unsound, it is extremely hard at a fast time limit for the defender to find the right moves. 13. Qh5!! Bg5 14. f4 fxg6 15. Qxg6 Re6 16. Qd3 Be7 17. Bc2 Kf8?!
A better alternative was 17 ... Nc4 worrying the bishop on d2 and bringing another piece back to the kingside. Now 18 Qf5+ might have lead to a draw, since Black must give up material to escape the checks, Gold senses it is time to play for more. 18. Rae1! Bc5+ 19. Kh1 Qe7?
Again 19 ... Nc4 offered better defensive chances, applying pressure to e5 and leaving the Black pieces more room to manouvre. White now sticks to his strong original h7 plan, but 19 b4 regaining the piece was also good and even better was the immediate breakthrough 19 f5! Rxe5 20 f6! gxf6 21 Qg6! and Black is helpless against the combined threats of 22 Rxf6+ and 22 Bxh6+. 20. Qh7 Qf7
Now 20 ... Nc4 still fails to 21 f5! Rxe5 22 f6! gxf6 23 Qg6! and 20 ... Nd7 to 21 f5! Rxe5 22 f6! Nxf6 23 Bg6! forcing 23... Be6 24 Rxe5 etc. However, the move played cannot save Black from the White pawn onslaught that follows. 21. f5 Re8 22. f6 g5 23. Qh8+ Qg8 24. Qxh6+ Kf7 25. Qh5+ Kf8 26. Bxg5 Be6 27. Bh6+
Forcing mate in three. A stylish game by Gold..
Strong showing by Gold
Problem: White to play and mate in three.
The Otago Chess Club Rapid Championship was recently decided in the second of two double-round-robin legs. Top seed John Sutherland was in the box seat after the first leg, half a point ahead of the writer. However in the second leg, third seed Hamish Gold scored a notable upset victory over Sutherland and drew their other game. This allowed the writer to catch up with Sutherland to share the 2008 Senior Rapid Championship with a total of 8 points from 12 games. The unluckiest player was Gold, who was on level scoring in his games against the two winners, but because of a loss against Chris Lydiate in the first leg, only finished third, a point behind. Patrick Dawson won the Intermediate trophy on the strength of his 5 points out of 6 in the first leg, while Elliot Munro's combined total of 10 points from 12 games easily won the Junior trophy.
Today's game is Gold's typically enterprising win over Sutherland, Gold playing with the white pieces.
1. d4 Nf6
2. Nf3 d6
3. Nbd2 Nbd7
4. e4 e5
5. Bc4 Be7?
In a slightly unorthodox opening both payers miss an interesting tactical opportunity for White here. 6 Bxf7+! Kxf7 7 Ng5+ Kg8 8 Ne6 Qe8 9 Nxc7 either winning the exchange or a rook and many pawns for two pieces.
6. O-O? O-O
7. c3 h6
8. Nh4!? ---
White hatches a plan to immediately exploit the weakness of the g6 square created by Black's last move, with a risky pawn sacrifice for the initiative.
8. --- Nxe4?!
A better way of taking the pawn was 8 ... Nb6 9 Bb3 exd4 10 cxd4 Nxe4. Now White keeps his pawn.
9. Ng6 Nxd2
10. Bxd2 Nb6
11. Bb3 Re8
12. dxe5 d5
Closing the bishop's diagonal and threatening to capture on g6. Now 13 Nxe7+ is fine for White, but true to his aggressive instincts, Gold chooses to sacrifice the knight and play for a sharp attack based on penetrating to h7 with his queen. Although objectively the sacrifice is probably unsound, it is extremely hard at a fast time limit for the defender to find the right moves.
13. Qh5!! Bg5
14. f4 fxg6
15. Qxg6 Re6
16. Qd3 Be7
17. Bc2 Kf8?!
A better alternative was 17 ... Nc4 worrying the bishop on d2 and bringing another piece back to the kingside. Now 18 Qf5+ might have lead to a draw, since Black must give up material to escape the checks, Gold senses it is time to play for more.
18. Rae1! Bc5+
19. Kh1 Qe7?
Again 19 ... Nc4 offered better defensive chances, applying pressure to e5 and leaving the Black pieces more room to manouvre. White now sticks to his strong original h7 plan, but 19 b4 regaining the piece was also good and even better was the immediate breakthrough 19 f5! Rxe5 20 f6! gxf6 21 Qg6! and Black is helpless against the combined threats of 22 Rxf6+ and 22 Bxh6+.
20. Qh7 Qf7
Now 20 ... Nc4 still fails to 21 f5! Rxe5 22 f6! gxf6 23 Qg6! and 20 ... Nd7 to 21 f5! Rxe5 22 f6! Nxf6 23 Bg6! forcing 23... Be6 24 Rxe5 etc. However, the move played cannot save Black from the White pawn onslaught that follows.
21. f5 Re8
22. f6 g5
23. Qh8+ Qg8
24. Qxh6+ Kf7
25. Qh5+ Kf8
26. Bxg5 Be6
27. Bh6+
Forcing mate in three. A stylish game by Gold..
1-0
Solution: 1 Ng6+! fxg6 (1 ... Kg8 2 Re8+ Kh7 3 Rxh8#) 2 Bxg6 and 3 Re8#.